The present invention relates generally to providing a portable ultraviolet (UV) light source for curing UV-curable gel nail polish. More particularly, the present invention relates to a portable UV nail lamp with a surface-mounted light emitting diode (SMD LED) light source. The present invention also relates to a UV nail lamp with a light emitting diode (LED) light source and a platform for a user's hand.
UV nail lamps are available for the salon and home to cure UV-curable nail polish. These nail lamps typically have UV fluorescent tubes or bulbs that use alternating current (AC) power. So, these nail lamps have an AC cord that needs to be plugged into the wall, which restricts their placement, since they need to be close to a wall socket. This can be problematic. In a salon, for example, this can restrict the number of lamps in use, the location of nail lamp stations, and thus, the number of customers that can use the lamps at a given time.
The tubes or bulbs of these nail lamps consume rather significant amounts of power and generate heat, which makes these nail lamps typically large and bulky to accommodate the bulb size and to allow for heat dissipation. This makes these nail lamps somewhat difficult to move, and certainly very difficult to travel with and use in a location without a wall socket, such as while on an airplane. Further, the light from the bulbs of these lamps tends be uneven, so a person's nails are exposed to difference intensities of light output, which causes the nails to dry at different times or to cure unevenly.
Further, traditional nail lamps use light bulbs that tend to produce uneven light, so a person's nails are exposed to difference intensities of light output, which causes the nails to dry at different times or to cure unevenly. These bulbs also tend to be bulky which causes the nail lamps to be large and cumbersome. Conventional bulbs can also consume much electrical energy while operating.
These lamps often have a flat platform on an inside of the lamp for a user to place their hand during drying. With long drying times, the user's hand can become uncomfortable or cramp up with the fingers in a strained, stretched out position within the lamp. There is a risk that the nails can smudge before setting as the user's nails brush up against other fingers or inside the lamp.
As can be appreciated, an improved nail lamp is needed. What is also needed is a method and an apparatus which can accommodate a user's five fingers in a comfortable and ergonomic resting position within a nail lamp. What is also desired is an efficient way to evenly cure UV-curable nail polish on each of the user's nails.